Pallets are widely used in the shipping industry for facilitating efficient and expeditious movement of goods (e.g., inventory, products, parts, commodities, etc.) from one place to another, and for the storage of goods prior or subsequent to shipment. Goods are placed on the platform of a pallet, which a forklift or other mechanical device lifts off the ground. The forklift or other device is driven or physically moved for either re-locating the goods to a desired location or loading or unloading the goods on to or off of a vehicle, such as, a truck, ship, or aircraft, for transportation to their intended destination.
It is often desirable to stack loaded pallets on one another to reduce storage space requirements and to optimize the storage capacity of vehicles carrying the loaded pallets. However, the stacking of a loaded pallet on the goods of another pallet can lead to undesirable problems and in some cases catastrophic results. The upper pallet and its contents can crush or otherwise damage fragile goods loaded on the lower pallet. It is also difficult to balance, properly, the loaded upper pallet on the goods of the lower pallet lacking regular size and shape, thus raising the risk that the upper pallet and its load may topple over, placing individuals in proximity to the stack in grave danger of bodily injury, and risking damage to nearby property. Vibrations and load shifting encountered during shipping and forklift transfer of loaded pallets can increase the risk of goods and pallets near the top of a stack dislodging and falling to the ground.
One solution to overcome the above problems is to transfer the goods from the pallet platform to a rack or into the compartment of a shipping container. The walls of a shipping container confine the movement of the goods to the container compartment during shipment. Further, the walls of a rack or shipping container also bear the weight of other goods, racks and containers stacked thereon, removing the weight-bearing load from the goods themselves. As a consequence, goods possessing fragility or irregular sizes and shapes can be securely stored in racks or transported in shipping containers without the above-described drawbacks of pallets.
However, transferring goods from a pallet to a rack or shipping container or between rack and shipping container is a time-consuming and laborious task, especially if the nature of the goods requires their individual transfer, for example, to protect against damage due to their fragility or because of extreme bulkiness or large mass that prevents the simultaneous transfer of multiple goods. Further, once the loaded containers arrive at their intended destination, often times the goods must be unloaded from the container to an open storage structure, such as, a pallet or rack, which favors accessibility of the goods. The open structure of a storage rack, for example, allows potential customers to view, easily, and select goods for purchase without the inconvenience of lifting a container lid. In a warehouse, open racks permit workers to access, more easily, inventory for sale, packaging, and shipment.
Another common solution for overcoming the aforementioned problems of accidental toppling of a stack of containers or racks is to use mechanical fasteners, such as, ties and straps for holding stacked containers or racks to one another. Application of conventional mechanical fasteners is time-consuming and laborious, often requiring the application of multiple fasteners to secure, properly, the stack. This conventional solution also requires that the shipper keep a stock of ties, straps, and mechanical fasteners, and continuously replenish their stock before it is exhausted. These inefficiencies serve to increase expenses and complicate shipping and storage protocols. Further, the person responsible for securing the stacked containers and racks together may be placed in a vulnerable position, thereby partly defeating the purpose for strapping in the first place.
Another problem associated with the use of pallets is that after the goods have been off-loaded, the pallets often times are needed for reuse at their original point of departure or elsewhere. Stacking off-loaded pallets on one another for transportation is much more efficient than moving the pallets individually, one at a time. However, as described above, various forces and hazards are encountered in the raising, lowering, and shipment of stacked pallets that can cause the stack to topple over. While the use of ties or straps can overcome these problems, application and removal of mechanical fasteners is time-consuming and laborious.